Call all artists, designers and makers! We want to see your designs made of reclaimed materials.
Read full contest rules and submit your designs on the Upcycling Design Challenge website.
Positivity is contagious. Sharing a kind word, a thank you note, or even a smile can start a chain reaction. With this in mind, Amy Humes created her Positive Message Graphics, reusable stickers that let you spread happiness, inspiration, peace, and the power within. We love Amy’s idea so much, we decided to take her message to the web. Feel free to pin, tweet, like, and share these encouraging buttons as reminders that optimism really can go viral.
These Reusable Positive Message Graphics are available as a set of 4 large canvas stickers, so you can place them anywhere where you or a loved one may look when in need of words of encouragement.
One of the heartbreaks of adult life is not being able to go trick-or-treating. Sure, you can go door to door on Halloween night, but only with children, and you have to let them have all the candy. Boo!
One of the joys of adult life, on the other hand, is art. Fine art, crafts, paintings, photos, street art, whatever. It’s all good. And it’s especially sweet when it’s art about… CANDY.
Most candy looks like abstract art to begin with, so it’s a natural subject and inspiration for artists, photographers, and designers. Look at this photo of Airheads Extreme Sweet Sour Belts by Steven Depolo next to Pop artist Gene Davis’s 1964 painting, “Sour Ball Beat” (above).
Controversial contemporary artist Damien Hirst‘s famous “dot” paintings have often been compared, sometimes derisively, to candy. The candy will cost you about a buck; one of Hirst’s dot paintings went for $3.48 million early this year. Which is treat and which is trick? (Trick question.)
I may not be able to go trick-or-treating any more, but I can “collect” candy art treats on the Internets without gaining an ounce. In honor of Halloween, I amassed a humongous amount of creative, beautiful, fun, funny, happy, sugary art onto a humongous Pinterest board.
With apologies to diabetics, here’s a sampling of candy you don’t have to say “Boo!” to. Note: because it’s my board and I’m the decider of it, I chose to include gum and soda, aka “liquid candy.”)
“Portraits” of candy
Art made of candy
Art about candy
Candy-themed tattoos
Art made of candy wrappers
Halloween candy corn art
And finally…
A candy toothbrush
(Also, because we care about your dental health, a non-cavity-inducing one.)
Happy Halloween! (If you somehow haven’t OD’d yet, check out the entire Pinterest collection.)
Some of our favorite photos from week three of the EcOctober Instagram Photo A Day Challenge. Post your photos with #UGPhotoADay!
We are excited to host our 4th How To Make It event on October 29, Implementing Green Practices in Your Designs, a topic we hold very close to our heart. Our panel will be weighing in on sourcing reclaimed materials, the legal implications of calling a design “green”, and setting up an environmentally friendly business and work space.
As always, we want our guests to stick around after the panel discussion for refreshments and networking with the panel, other local creatives and UncommonGoods staff – we know you’re dying to get your cards in the hands of our buyers!
RSVP for the event through our How To Make It page.
Research
I have lived in Brooklyn my whole life, so I know myself a good slice of pizza when I see one. With what seems like another pizzeria on every other corner, I have also tried many types and styles of the delicious and cheesy treat. Slices, squares, thin crust, deep dish, on a bagel, on an english muffin, with toppings or plain. I thought I had seen and eaten it all.
I was wrong. I must eat what few pizza-lovers have ever eaten before – the pizza cone.
Hypothesis
Pizza is already awesome. I predict that mixing things up with a new shape will only make pizza more awesome.
The Experiment
I started by assembling everything necessary to make my pizza cone:
- the Pizza Cone Kit
- Dough – The set comes with instructions to make you’re own. I bought mine from a local pizzeria for $4.
- Cheese
- Sauce
- Optional toppings
- Flour for working with the dough
- A rolling pin
The pizza cone set comes with the tools necessary to cut and shape the dough so that you can roll it into a cone. This is my first time working with fresh dough and it feels so right. I think I was born to play a part in this evolution of the pizza. Just look at my hands go:
Next, I had the need to knead. As per the included instructions, I wanted a flat piece of dough measuring about an 1/8 of an inch all around. The dough should be wide enough to cut out two bell-shaped molds that would form two pizza cones.
Once you have the initial pieces cut, you fold them over in half and crimp the edges sealed. You leave the bottoms unsealed so that you can later place them over the pizza cone form. I used the included crimper tool to finish the job.
My expectations were rising as I prepared the dough to go into the oven for the first time. I carefully placed my creation onto the pizza cone form (which is made of no-stick materials).
After 6-7 minutes of baking, the dough was starting to brown. I removed them from the oven and let them cool before removing them from the pizza cone forms and placing them upright in the pizza cone stands. I brought over the rest of the ingredients and got to work filling the cones with sauce, cheese, and other toppings (sliced pepperoni in the pictures). Like an artist finishing his masterpiece, I used my spoon to splash sauce along the inner walls of the cone. I sprinkled cheese throughout until it filled up completely. I cleverly hid pepperonis in any unused pockets of air.
After a few more minutes in the oven, right up until the insides start bubbling, I was able to meet my creation.
Conclusion
I was wary at first. However, I have confirmed that the deliciousness of pizza has no bounds. Pizza cones are a fun new way to eat pizza, especially during the upcoming winter, when ice cream cones are just not as practical. I approve.
Dexter has volunteered as the next test subject when I run this experiment again.
Some of our favorite pics from the second week of the EcOctober Instagram Photo A Day Challenge. Post your photos with #UGPhotoADay!
The UncommonGoods Holiday catalog was just sent out and should be on doorsteps by the end of the week. We are so excited for this holiday season and for you to see our favorite items that we want to play a guessing game. One lucky Facebook fan will win the item on the cover of our holiday catalog. What is it? We’re not telling!
The Contest
On October 16, 17 and 18 we will post a different clue on our Facebook Timeline about the mystery item on our catalog cover.
Leave a comment on the clue with your guess.
You can only leave one comment per clue, but can comment on all three!
On Friday, October 19 one winner who has guessed correctly will be announced and contacted.
Open to US citizens in the 50 states.
Must be 18 years or older to enter.